Rearranging the keys on a Deck Legend to Colemak?

[Deverica Wolf]

Hi. I have switched to the Colemak typing format. It is pretty difficult but I am learning day by day.

I have already used a butter-knife (as instructed by Jim Owens at Unicomp) to do it on my Spacesaver. Now I would like to do it on my Deck Legend - ToXic (Cherry MX Black), because switching between Colemak and QWERTY is a little awkward as I am trying to learn Colemak. I use the Deck and QWERTY in-game.

I don't think using butter-knife is possible (or safe) on the Deck so I was about to pick up the Filco Key Puller for $30 from The Keyboard Company. But I first would just like to know a couple of things.

The Legend has LEDs on it. Would this be a problem at all?

The keys themselves are flat: even level. So the keys should all remain the same level when I switch them around, correct?

Any tips I should know? This is the first time I would be doing this.

Thank you for your response. :hail:

[Tony]

I am a Colemak user and I find switching between Colemak and Qwerty easy.

I go to Control Panel->Language and Regional Settings, and setting hotkey to Qwerty Ctrl-1, Colemak Ctrl-2. So I could switch to Qwerty whenever I play game that use WASD or specific Qwerty hotkeys.

For keys, I do not change for others to use my computer when necessary. Now I use Ninja keycaps.

[alaricljs]

This might help.  Other than that, from what I understand the Deck does indeed have the same profile on all the keys so it should look/feel fine.

[Deverica Wolf]

I am a Colemak user and I find switching between Colemak and Qwerty easy. I go to Control Panel->Language and Regional Settings, and setting hotkey to Qwerty Ctrl-1, Colemak Ctrl-2. So I could switch to Qwerty whenever I play game that use WASD or specific Qwerty hotkeys.

Yeah, that is what I am doing now. But I find it hard for me to learn when I am switching between the two.

This might help.  Other than that, from what I understand the Deck does indeed have the same profile on all the keys so it should look/feel fine.

Thanks. Out of stock. :fear:

[Tony]

I did switch back and forth between Qwerty and Colemak, then I use Colemak full time when I reached 25-30wpm.

The speed has steadily increased from then on. After 6 months of use I reached my old Qwerty speed.

[Deverica Wolf]

OK. Thanks. I now know it'll be OK moving the keys around on the Deck. I looked around google. I found this quote...

Cherry MX keys are generally laid out in a sculpted or "scooped" manner with the key profile varying from row to row. Only exception that I know of are the Deck Legend keys, which don't vary in profile row to row.

And I found this thread. Someone changed the keys to Dvorak on the Deck.


Is there any tips I should know before I do it? I know on the Cherry MX, you must watch out for accidentally pulling the switch off. You wiggle the key with the wire, not yank. I think I am going to unscrew the Deck's cover so it will be easier for me to do it because I don't wanna ruin anything. But is there anything else I should be aware of before I do this for the first time?

[AndrewZorn]

Even if you could change them, I would not. I rearranged my keys, but regretted losing the dots on F and J more than the lettering being correct. You shouldn't be looking at the keys anyway, and so the feel of the dots matters a lot more.

Small bonus includes being able to switch back to labelled QWERTY for those who need to type on your computer, and cannot really type at all in the first place.

[DivineWind]

The Colemak website even recommends that you do not try to move around your keys or try to relabel your keycaps.  I am glad you are switching over to Colemak, I did it around 12 days ago and I have reached around 40 words per minute.  I have been      practicing a lot in order to achieve this.  It was very easy to switch for any of you wondering and I have already forgotten Qwerty as strange as it sounds.

[Tony]

Before switching to Colemak, anyone will be afraid and try to keep Qwerty as a safe blanket. Once you reach 30-40 wpm you will never think of going back.

When you have to type on Qwerty at other computers, you will see how strange and awkward Qwerty can be, putting both E and T over the upper row, on the same left hand.

I think Qwerty keys should be remained for anyone who might share computers, since all Colemak users can touch type.

[Spinifex]

I use Colemak, my wife uses Qwerty.  We use Fedora 15 with keyboard layout set to change with double shift hot key.  I have Scroll Lock set to light up indicating that Qwerty is the current active keyboard layout; default is Colemak with no LED's lit.

If you're a touch typist, it doesn't matter what is written on the keys because you don't look at them.  I bought the Colemak sticky letters for my Filico but never put them on.

I can appreciate wanting that to have a native Colemak keyboard, in fact I would love it, but on a shared machine, it's just not possible.  I think most people should keep the Qwerty printed layout as well, because, as Tony just stated, all Colemak typists are touch typists.    

But if you have a dedicated machine, and not sharing with anyone, hell yes... Go the Colemak layout.   And get me one as well whilst your at it.

Dreaming on a Filco Majestouch 2 MX Red Tenkeyless in Colemak.

[Deverica Wolf]

Thanks guys. My speed has already improved greatly. But I could not have done that without moving the keys around on my Unicomp. Just a personal thing. I ordered the keycap puller. Should come soon. I use both these keyboards just myself so I see no reason not to. I was just concerned about possibly breaking my cherry switches. Like I said, I am going to unscrew the Deck's cover to be on the safe side.

:bounce: